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Somalia swears in new MPs in Mogadishu

Tuesday December 27 2016
som MPs

Newly elected Somali MPs are sworn in at General Kahiye Police Academy in Mogadishu on December 27, 2016. PHOTO | ABDULKADIR KHALIF

Somalia on Tuesday swore in new lawmakers after weeks of voting in a complex political process seen as its most democratic election in nearly five decades, despite significant flaws.

The new parliament was inaugurated under tight security in Mogadishu two months after voting began. Lawmakers are expected to elect a president by secret ballot, however it was unclear when that would take place.

The vote for president has been put off several times as a result of delays in the election of lawmakers due to clan disputes, accusations of fraud, and organisational challenges.

The 282 legislators sworn in comprised 242 members of the Lower House and 41 members of the Upper House (also known as senators).

The ceremony took place at the General Kahiye Police Academy in the capital.

First time in 47 years

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The Chief Judge of the Somalia’s Supreme Court, Justice Ibrahim Idle Sulaymanm, presided over the ceremony.

Justice Sulaymanm called out the legislators in batches of 30 to line up in front of a table on which copies of the Holy Quran were placed.

Parliament Speaker Mohamed Osman Jawari opened the session, stating that for the first time in 47 years, MPs elected by the college system were assuming the legislative responsibilities of the nation.

As soon as the ceremony was completed, each House held its first session to choose the eldest person to become its interim chairperson until a speaker and two deputies are elected.

Mr Osman Elmi Boqorre was elected to lead the Lower House, while Mr Mohamed Hussein Raghe will take charge of the Upper House.

Election model

According to the Somalia new election model, the process saw clan elders pick 14,025 special delegates to vote for 275 members of the Lower House.

The country also saw the introduction of an 54-member Upper House and a quota reserving 30 per cent of seats for women.

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While the very existence of the process is seen as somewhat of a miracle in the shattered nation, it has been riddled with vote buying, corruption and the usual clan disputes.

A last minute decision by Somali authorities to add an extra 18 seats to the Upper House after complaints of insufficient representation by some clans — bringing it to 72 members — drew the ire of the international community.

"International partners believe that the integrity of the 2016 electoral process hangs in the balance," read a statement by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNISOM) issued Tuesday.

The statement also took aim at the decision by officials to re-instate candidates who had been disqualified. The number of investigations into disputed seats were dropped from 11 to five without explanation.

"This fails to address a number of other egregious cases of abuse of the electoral process, including seats reserved for women candidates only that were ultimately taken by male candidates," read the statement.

Presidential election

The election of the president will follow that of the speakers, which is expected to take place before January 19, 2017.

Over a dozen candidates are expected to contest, including the incumbent, President Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud and Prime Minister Omar Abdirashid Sharmarke.

Previous timetables for presidential election; namely September 10, October 30, November 30 and December 28, have failed to take place.

The president will be elected by 275 members of the Lower House and 72 members of the Upper House at a joint session.

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